A recent research has pointed out that Gen X and millennials are at a higher risk of contracting different types of cancers than other older generations. It is because they could be skipping a very crucial habit in their morning routine.
As per the study, performing the bare minimum of daily oral maintenance, that is, regularly brushing and flossing could reduce your risk of developing head and neck cancer. A different research had established bacteria linked to gum disease increases the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Dr. Todd Ross, a dentist and adjunct clinical assistant professor at the NYU College of Dentistry, while speaking to The New York Post said, “The mouth gives you a treasure trove of information about a person’s health.”
Researchers have now identified that over a dozen species of bacteria can raise the risk of the most common HNC, squamous cell carcinoma, by around 50%.
Study lead author Soyoung Kwak, a postdoctoral fellow in population health at NYU, said. “Our findings offer new insight into the relationship between the oral microbiome and head and neck cancers. Kwak and his team analyzed the diet, lifestyle, and medical history of roughly 160,000 Americans.
Saliva samples which were provided by participants were tested for microbes and preserved. In a 15-year span, 236 of those participants were diagnosed with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Researchers also compared the oral microbes of those diagnosed with the 458 participants who remained cancer-free. It was then discovered that 13 species of the hundreds of bacteria were routinely found in the mouth raised cancer risk.
This group was linked to a 30% greater likelihood of developing head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
According to researchers, these findings establish a correlation than a direct link between bacteria and cancer. They mentioned, "Now that we have identified key bacteria that may contribute to this disease, we next plan to explore the mechanisms that allow them to do so and in what ways we can best intervene.”